The police have begun an investigation into the death of a 42-year-old man who was arrested at an outdoor concert in The Hague on Saturday evening.

According to the public prosecution department statement, Mitch Henriquez shouted that he had a gun, prompting police to take action. The man is said to have resisted arrest, leading police to ‘use violence’ against him.

He then, according to the statement, became unwell in the police van and died later in hospital.

However, eyewitnesses said Henriquez was fooling around with friends and police asked him to quieten down. Shortly afterwards, four police officers ‘jumped on his neck’, one eyewitness, named as Wendy, said.

Several videos show the man lying on the ground, handcuffed and apparently unconscious, and being dragged by several police to the van.

His sister Lila told reporters: ‘His head was totally swollen up, that’s where he was hit most. How can you put handcuffs on someone, throw them in a car and then they arrive covered in bruises and not breathing?’

The family are appealing for eyewitnesses and people who filmed the incident to come forward, as are the police.

Henriquez, who was on holiday from Aruba, was at the Night of the Park concert in The Hague. He died in hospital on Sunday.